Trying to Forget, Trying to Forgive
by padfoot4eva
Summary: Lily Evans broke up with James Potter right before their graduation. They have not spoken to, or even seen, each other in a year. Now James has to convince her that they really are meant for each other, and he has to do it quickly, because time
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Hogwarts, or anything that has ever been mentioned in the Harry Potter books does not belong to me. I would like to own them, and make billions of dollars every year, but the only thing in this story that is mine is my plot, if you can call it one. I am simply one of those very sad people who obsess over something that isn't real. Thank you for your time.

Chapter One

James Potter, 18 year old seeker for the Puddlemere United, former marauder, illegal animagus, and one of witch weekly's top ten most eligible bachelors, sat on his bed thinking. He was a year out of Hogwarts, shared an apartment in London with his two best friends, was rich, famous, and he had everything he wanted. Well, almost everything…

"Brooding about Lily Evans again, Prongs?" Sirius Black, aka Padfoot, a beater on James's team, had just walked into the room.

Sirius Black was known as a happy-go-lucky person, at least on the outside, and half the girls at Hogwarts had been willing to kill to get a date with him. But there was more to Sirius than meets the eye. Sirius's mother was probably the most heartless person James had ever met. She had pushed to have Sirius become like her, a pureblood fanatic, and while Sirius's little brother Regulus, who was now a death eater, complied obediently, Sirius had rebelled.

Since Sirius had known James since they were both toddlers, he ran away when he was 16 to the Potters' house, and lived there until he was old enough to rent his own flat. He still didn't talk to anyone in his immediate family, who disowned him, and ignored most people in his extended one.

Since they had known each other for so long, Sirius could always guess what James was thinking about. He even knew that Voldemort had killed James's parents back in 7th year before James finished reading the note. James usually didn't try to keep things from Sirius, so this wasn't difficult. They had gone to school together, become illegal animagi together (Sirius was a dog, and James was a stag). They, and Remus, aka Moony, a werewolf, were as good as brothers.

James sighed, and replied. "Padfoot, I do not brood. And I was not thinking about lily Evans."

"Liar. You had the dreamy, happy face on. Come on, Prongs, it's been a year. You should be over her by now."

"It's hard to get over someone, Padfoot. Considerably harder when that someone is someone who you never wanted to break up with in the first place," James said sadly, staring into his hands.

"You told me it was a mutual thing!" Sirius screeched, aghast. He liked to think that he knew James better than James knew himself, and he didn't like it when James told him things that proved to be incorrect.

"It was, kind of. She said that we should be just friends, and I was too shocked to do anything but nod. I love her, for Christ's sake. I was going to ask her to marry me right after we graduated, Hell, I had had the ring in my pocket for the last month, and then, she broke up with me. I thought I was going to die. I kept up a brave face around you guys and the rest of the school, but inside, I was broken up into thousands of tiny pieces.

"Have you ever been in love, Padfoot?" Sirius started to say something, but James held up a hand to stop him. "I know that you really liked Arabella Figg, but that doesn't count. You never told her, you never asked her out, so it's kind of your fault that you two never went out.

"I loved Lily. Hell, I still love her. If I had a choice between making her happy and making myself happy, of her dying or me dying, I would choose myself to suffer both times. I would give anything to make it so that she lived a life free of strife, of pain, of sorrow. That's how much I love her, Padfoot. But I guess I was wrong when I thought that she felt the same way, I thought she truly loved me back."

Before Sirius could reply, the door of the room opened, and Remus Lupin came in. 

If James was the leader in their group, The Marauders, and Sirius was the energy, than Remus Lupin was the brains. He was the smartest person in their year at Hogwarts, and even now, if you looked closely enough into his eyes, you would see the sparkle of intelligence that few people possess.

But Remus Lupin was different than everyone else. Remus was a were-wolf. He had been bitten when he was four, and so for the next seven years had been completely friendless, since people were scared of what they didn't understand, and being a werewolf was one of those things.

He had expected his years at Hogwarts to have been the same way, but he reckoned without James Potter and Sirius Black. They had been looking for someone who could work out the difficult parts of the pranks they played, and Remus fit the bill perfectly.

They had become steadfast friends, and didn't abandon him when they found out what he was, but instead, along with their third friend, Peter Pettigrew, who they hadn't really talked to recently, had become illegal Animagi. It was a dangerous thing to attempt, but in the end it only strengthened their friendship. They had had a few mishaps in those many years, but they were still as close as they had always been, and they figured they always would be, no matter what happened.

Remus had had trouble finding a job, being a werewolf, until St. Mungo's had allowed him to become a healer. He wasn't around the house as much, because he was either putting in long hours to compensate for the full moon.

He spoke to both of the men in the room, with a very calm, yet happy manner. "Hey, guys. Guess who I saw today, Lily Evans and Arabella Figg."

James felt his pulse quicken at the mention of lily's name, and stammered out. "D-did you really, are they okay, what are they doing are at the hospital, they seeing anyone..."

Remus chuckled, and answered, "James, calm down. They were fine. They're aurors, and they brought in a few death-eaters in last night. However, one of the death-eaters decided not to give up quietly, and hit lily with the cruciartus curse. She was in a lot of pain, but she's fine now. as for the other questions, I know that they share an apartment somewhere in London, but as for the rest, I don't pry, unlike Sirius."

Sirius started to protest loudly, but James cut him off. "It's okay, Remus. She's probably forgotten all about me by now. I bet she's probably found some guy who's absolutely perfect for her, and is that happiest that she's ever been in her life. She'll have forgotten that she ever knew someone named James Potter."

Little did he know that, a few blocks away, a certain red-head was thinking about James Potter after all, and about the love she had given up.

* * *

Lily Evans sat on her bed thinking about something that she had sworn she would forget. James Potter. He had been her enemy, her friend, and her love. She had broken things off with him right before graduation, and had tried, and was still trying, to forget about him. It was just so hard, though.

At the most inappropriate times she started remembering the way his hazel eyes sparkled whenever he saw her, the way his raven hair was always untidy, and the way that that made him even cuter then ever. Usually these remembrances always happened when she was on a date with another guy, which was never a good thing. Guys don't really appreciate being second in one's thoughts, as Lily had figured out early on.  
  
"So what did you think of seeing Remus today?" That was Arabella Figg, one of Lily's best friends and roommates.

Arabella, or Bella, as she preferred to be called, and Lily had met 12 years ago when Lily saw Arabella coming to visit her aunt, also named Arabella, who was a squib and lived in the same town as Lily. They had been in Gryffindor together, and had shared more secrets, done more pranks, broken more hearts, and were probably closer than anyone else in their year except the Marauders.

She had a come into Lily's room while Lily had been distracted. Lily got up startled, and Bella's face broke into a sly grin. "Thinking about James again, Tsk Tsk. One must never think about ex-boyfriends that one has dumped. And don't deny that you were thinking about him. You're blushing a rather brilliant red."

"Alright and what if I was thinking of him, what does it matter?"

"It's just strange, that you always think of him, and never of your current boyfriend. What's his name again, Michael?"

"David, its David. And I do think about David, just not very often." lily said between gritted teeth. She didn't like the direction this conversation was going.

"Whatever. Anyway, if you are always thinking about a guy, then you like him. If you like him, then why did you break up with him?"

"I don't understand your logic."

"Lil, tell."

Lily stood up abruptly, wanting more than anything for this conversation to end. "Look Bella, don't you dare criticize me about what I've done. Have you ever been in love? I know you have a crush on Sirius black, but that's like a schoolgirl infatuation. You have no idea what its like. I'm scared out of my mind, because I'm a muggleborn, and Voldemort is attacking them and their families. If I stay with James it's likely that he's going to be targeted. I also had no idea what was happening between us.

"Everything felt right, and it is what makes it so frightening at the same time. It's terrifying, knowing someone so well that you feel like you've known and loved each other all your lives, even when you haven't. I decided to break things off before they got out of hand. Yes, I love him, but its better this way. We can forget each other and move on with our lives."

"Lily, you won't be able to forget James Potter. It's been proven to be impossible."

"I can and I will. I have to, Bella. Don't you get it? The heir of Gryffindor and a lowly mudblood can't fall in love with each other. It just doesn't happen. It's completely against all the rules.  
  
Bella slowly walked out of the room, and lily could have sworn she heard her mutter, "I think it's a bit to late for that, Lily." After Bella left, lily sat staring up at her ceiling for hours, her mind filled with thoughts of the one person she both wanted to see desperately and also to forget.

* * *

TBC

I took this story off of and I have remodeled this so that it's easier to read, so if you read it before, that's where you got it. I didn't steal this one from anyone, well, not intentionally, anyways.

Please go review. I love to know that people actually take time out of their lives to read my stuff, and it makes me feel so important, and gives me a nice warm fuzzy feeling inside.

I'll try updating soon, but I have schools, and plays (I hope) and stuff.

Love you all,

Sally


	2. Chappter Two

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Hogwarts, or anything that has ever been mentioned in the Harry Potter books does not belong to me. I would like to own them, and make billions of dollars every year, but the only thing in this story that is mine is my plot, if you can call it one. I am simply one of those very sad people who obsess over something that isn't real. So please, don't sue me, all I have that is of any value is a cello and a computer. Thank you for your time.

Chapter Two

Around six months passed from that night. James and Lily, even though they lived in relatively the same part of London, didn't meet each other, nor did Lily and Arabella have another run in with Remus at St. Mungo's. They seemed to be normal, but anyone who knew them well could have figured out easily that something was wrong. James refused point blank to start dating again, and whenever Remus or, more usually, Sirius had tried to set him up with someone, he would barricade himself in his room, and start going over the scrapbook he had of pictures of himself and Lily, taken while they were dating.

Both Sirius and James were being worked to the bone by their Quidditch coach. They had gotten all the way to the finals of their division, and then had lost, in a pathetic 420-50 match. Their coach, Jeffrey Wood, had been furious, and so had ordered them all to come to a month long back breaking training course during their off-time. No one had been happy, but after today, it was finally over. James would miss it, however. Quidditch was the only thing that could keep his mind off of Lily.

He headed back to the showers, when he heard someone say the name Lily Evans. He glanced up, and saw that it was David Roboto, one of his teammates. David was a beater, and had always seemed nice, if a little distant. David's voice jarred James out of his thoughts, however.

"I think I'm going to ask her tonight. We've been dating for around a year, and, you know, I think I really love her."

Now John Celingway, one of the other chasers, broke in. "So, Lily Evans. She seemed nice enough when you introduced me to her. But are you sure this is who you want to spend your life with?"

"Oh, without a doubt," David answered. "She's just, well, perfect. She's everything that I could have ever hoped for, and more."

Both of them walked on, laughing quietly. James stood glaring at them, his fists balled. So it seems Lily Evans had gone on with her life. Perhaps it was time to do the same.

* * *

Lily sat at her vanity, staring at herself in the mirror as she twisted her diamond ring around her finger. She hadn't expected him to propose, and she still wasn't sure that she had made the right choice.

Suddenly, Arabella rushed into the room. "Lily, oh my god, I just heard the most disturbing rumor. Someone said that What's-his-face proposed, and that you accepted, and so I decided to come back and make sure it wasn't true, and I'm glad that it isn- OH MY GOD!"

She had caught sight of the ring, and was now running over to examine it. "Lil, I can't believe it. How? But, James…"

Lily glared at her. "James and I are finished. What he thinks or does doesn't matter to me anymore. It's over."

Arabella gazed at her friend sadly. "You and I both know that that isn't true."

Lily glared up at her friend. "Well, it could as well be. He doesn't care anymore, so why should I?"

"How do you know he doesn't care?"

"I JUST DO! Now will you please stop and leave me alone. I have a lot to do before I can go off and spend the month with my parents."

Arabella left her friend, muttering something that sounded liked, "If you want to ruin your life, go ahead, but please, take pity on James."

If either of them had been paying attention, they would have noticed a large black dog sitting under Lily's open window, grinning smugly, if a dog could grin.

* * *

Sirius entered the flat whistling, which was not particularly usual for him (unless he was drunk or had had far too much chocolate.) He went over to James, who was hunched over in an armchair moping about how Lily was going to marry David and live happily ever after. Sirius dropped a bunch of papers that looked like bills in James's lap."Sirius, what that hell are these for? I'm upset, my ex-girlfriend is marrying someone I work with every day, and the electric and water bills were sent off a week ago. What is this?"" This is the bills to rent a house in a muggle town for a month. You're stressed, I'm stressed, and I bet Remus is stressed. We need a break."Remus interrupted, "Sirius, this sounds an awful lot like work. Some of us have to work all day, and dislike doing it on our holidays. Not all of us are blessed and able to play on broomsticks to make money.""But I'm not good at working, Remmie-poo. And you wouldn't want me to be unhappy, would you?" replied Sirius, batting his eyelashes like a lovesick schoolgirl.James had to hold back Remus from strangling Sirius, and choked out laughing, "Sirius, you can flirt with Remus when I'm not here. Although, if most of the girls at school saw this, they would be heartbroken. I never imagined that you two would become gay lovers."Remus and Sirius stopped, and while Remus started to attack James for suggesting such a dastardly thing, Sirius stood in a corner chanting about how utterly and completely sickening that idea was.

By the time they had given up, James had decided to ask the important question. "Sirius, where are we going? I mean, knowing you, it's probably some run down shack at the other end of the world, were Remus and I will freeze our asses off while you shag some Eskimo girl senseless. So where is it?"

"No where that drastic. I like that Eskimo idea though. Has some potential. But we are going to a little town called Little Whinging, in Surrey. We are staying at number 5, Privet Drive."

* * *

AACK! I'm sooooooooo sorry for not updating. I had writer's block, and then I have the play, cause it's performance week, and I'm exhausted! 

Since it seems to be confusing people, no, Sirius and Remus are not gay. They have never been gay. They will never be gay. Sirius likes Arabella, remember? It just struck me as the kind of thing Sirius and James would do when bored.

Please, go review. It's been scientifically proven that reviewing releases a protein based nucleic acid that speeds up the writing process. (Right)

I'll accept any kind of review, but I would appreciate it if you wouldn't do a flame. I find them pointless and disrespectful. I'm not saying you have to respect me, but I do think you should respect anyone who is brave enough to put their work up on enough so that you don't go around giving anonymous flames. Plus, getting flames makes me angry enough so that I flame back, which is fun. (evil grin)

To answer my beloved reviewers-

**Mika Rieu- oh, be nice to poor Lily. She's just scared. **

**Harrys 1 Fan- Thanks**

**Reina del Noche- I actually had revised it. You should have seen the state it was in the beginning. And my computer's been on the brink lately, so Microsoft Word didn't catch a lot of the things. **

**judichild- You're welcome**

**angul-gurl- Thanks.**

**Sarahpotter- Oh dear, Déjà vous is never fun. **

**Hikaru- Thanks. Plays going well, I'm just tired. Sigh**

**And yes I do drink tea- Clichés make the world go round.**

There, now you've heard from me, and read the story. NOW GO REVIEW!

Peace,

Sally


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Hogwarts, or anything that has ever been mentioned in the Harry Potter books does not belong to me. I would like to own them, and make billions of dollars every year, but the only thing in this story that is mine is my plot, if you can call it one. I am simply one of those very sad people who obsess over something that isn't real. Thank you for your time.

* * *

Chapter Three

Lily sighed to herself as she watched the small boy run aimlessly around the park. She loved coming home, loved the break from her everyday life, but it was just so, well, boring.

And her sister didn't make things much better. Blabbering on and on about that stupid boyfriend of hers. Personally, Lily couldn't care less. If someone was really stupid enough to want to go out with her horse-faced sister, it really didn't matter to her. Petunia, on the other hand, thought that everyone should rejoice over her "good fortune."

So Lily attempted to get out of the house as much as possible. She babysat for all the families whom she knew growing up. The child she was watching right now, David Evans, was the little brother of one of her best muggle friends. She had been watching the Evans's, who, by the way, were no relation to her, since she was around 14.

Suddenly, Lily noticed that David was gone. She whirled around, just in time to see him disappear around the corner, trotting as fast as his little feet could carry him.

She raced after him, but by the time she got to the edge of the park, he had vanished. She cursed mightily for a few minutes, and then saw a tiny bit of bright red cloth, the same color as David's sweatshirt, disappear into the house across the street from hers.

_I wasn't aware that anyone had moved in. _Lilt mused to herself as she hurriedly scampered to catch the young boy before he got into any serious sort of mischief.

All her fears were to no avail, however, for she heard someone laughing, and David's all-knowing toddler voice explaining that he was avoiding his baby-sitter.

Then whoever it was answered. It had to have been a man, but something sounded strangely familiar about that voice.

When David began talking again, Lily gathered her wits and walked into the next room. She calmly picked up David, who immediately began to squirm, and looked up to apologize to whoever it was.

One look into the stranger's eyes silenced her, however. It was James Potter.

* * *

"Lily?" James asked, flabbergast. He hadn't expected to see her. He couldn't deny that this was something he'd been wishing for since they left school, but something was strange here. How did she happen to show up exactly where Sirius had "mysteriously" decided to rent a house? He tore himself from his thoughts to listen to her response.

"Hey, James." She said, blushing slightly. He had always loved that blush. It reminded him of roses in the spring. She continued, "So, you found the little rascal."

"Yeah, I did. He was going on about his evil baby-sitter. He didn't say she was so cute, though."

"Well," she said, blushing, if possible, more than she had been before before, "I... I'd better go...Arabella and I are staying with our folks, and they're probably going to be freaking out soon so… bye."

She turned to leave with David on her hip, still wiggling about, when James called after her.

"Lily-"

"Yes?" she whipped back around a little too curtly.

She wasn't mad at him or anything, it was just that the little gold ring on her left hand seemed to be burning her conscience. It seemed as though James might tell her something that would make it near impossible to keep her engagement without dying from the guilt.

"I just wanted to tell you to try and keep the child you're supposed to be watching out of stranger's homes. After all, it could have been Sirius who found him, and we all know what a disaster that would be." James replied with a characteristic grin.

She rolled her eyes at him and slowly turned away, her laughing smile apparent. Sometimes she wondered how on earth they had broken up, but then a tremor of pain would shake her as she remembered. It wasn't really her fault.

Ok, it was completely her fault, but she did it for a good reason. It was for the greater good. She knew that, she believed it, but that didn't make it any easier to talk to James.

* * *

James watched Lily leave, cursing at himself for missing his chance to tell her how he really felt. But he knew it wasn't the time or place to do so. But he didn't know how much longer he could wait. Just looking at that ring on her finger made him feel ill.

Knowing that he couldn't dwell on Lily, he went back to trying to figure out why exactly she was here. And then it dawned on him.

* * *

"SIRIUS!" He yelled, striding into the kitchen where Sirius and Remus were setting up appliances.

"Ye-es?" Sirius answered in as innocent tone as he could.

"You are aware that Lily and Arabella are staying in this neighborhood, right?"

Sirius put on a innocent face, "Arabella's here? I must ask her to dinner."

"Stop lying, Sirius. I know you too well. You knew that something was going on. You _knew _it." James pointed a finger accusingly at Sirius.

"Fine, you know what, maybe I did. Maybe I did it for a reason, too. You're so hung up on her that you don't notice that she feels the same way. You're so scared of rejection that you're not going to try again. So, yes, I did know that she was going to be here. But I did it for a good reason."

James looked at Sirius incredulously, and said, quietly, "But she doesn't. She's engaged." And then he left the room.

"Do you think that he got the idea, Moony?" Sirius asked.

"It's Prongs, Padfoot. He wouldn't realize that she still loved him if that fact was dropped on him like a 100 lb. anvil. But he'll come around. Pray, for our sakes, his own, and Lily's, that he'll come around."

* * *

Oh, we love prophet moony, now don't we?

YES, I AM ALIVE! IT IS TRUE!

I need inspiration, so if you have any idea what you think should happen, review and tell me.

Reviewing is good. Reviewing gives me feedback. Reviewing makes me happy. (Except that I can't be happy so don't even start, Anna)

But seriously, reviewing makes me write faster, for then I am inspired. It's fun.

To answer my reviewers-

**SilverPassion- But that's why we love him.**

**ourlittlesecret7- this one should, Maybe. But that's what I said about the other, too, so we never know. (evil grin)**

**Reina del Noche- Thank you. It's all true.**

**EmeraldEyedEvans- It's Ida I feel sorry for, having a friend like you. NOOO NOT THE MALE SOPRANO! I like, "The show must go on"**

**PinkyTheSnowman- Thank you**

**Hikaru****- THEY"RE NOT GAY!**

**DramaQn621-ONCE AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT GAY!**

**The all mighty and powerfulM- it's good that you see where this is going, because I sure don't.**

**Rose Lily Potter- Sorry about not updating. Bad me.**

**Padfoot1987- In Sirius's world, there are no such things as coincidences.**

**Harrys 1 Fan- Aw, thanks.**

Ciao-ness to the third power platinum edition!

Sally


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Hogwarts, or anything that has ever been mentioned in the Harry Potter books does not belong to me. I would like to own them, and make billions of dollars every year, but the only thing in this story that is mine is my plot, if you can call it one. I am simply one of those very sad people who obsess over something that isn't real. So please, don't sue me, all I have that is of any value is a cello and a computer. Thank you for your time.

* * *

Chapter Four

That night, Lily sat on her bed, writing furiously in her diary.

_Why did he have to come back? I'm not ready for this, I need time. I can't think about this right now. Why couldn't he have stayed buried in the past forever, like a mistake that you bury and leave beside the road. I like David, I don't love him, but I'm sure we could have worked things out. But now, now it would seem too much like running away from my problems, and who wants a marriage like that? _

_The problem, damn it, is that I still love James, I'm trying to deny it, but it's true. How do you tell someone that you love them, and that you can't love them at the same time? I already have enough trouble as it is, and then this! I want to go back to the beginning, and change everything that needs changing. As Inigo says in _The Princess Bride_, "You said to go back to the beginning," So here I am, all ready to go examine my life._

_I met James Potter on the train to Hogwarts. He turned my hair green, and I pushed him into the lake. We traded pranks for several years, until fourth year started. Then he decided that I would be a good one week girlfriend, and then spent the next three years trying to get me to go out with him. We had several occasions when he was in the middle of torturing someone and, when I told him to stop, he would ask me out. _

_One of the more famous occasions was right after our Defense Against the Darks Arts OWL, when he had started to torture Snape. I told him to stop, and he said that he would if I would go out with him. I kind of exploded then, and told him that I would rather go out with the giant squid than with him. _

_I actually admire his doggedness, to keep chasing after something that doesn't want to be caught for three years. I finally went out with him in seventh year, and everything just seemed so right, but it was also too fast and to frightening. _

_Loving someone more than life itself is a powerful feeling, both awesome and terrible. I would have died for him, if need be, and I am sure that he felt the same way. I couldn't deal with those feeling, and I decided that it would be best if we forgot about each other. _

_Of course, that obviously didn't work, and now he's back in my life again. What am I going to do? Do I let my heart take priority over my head, knowing that it could lead to disaster? Or do I follow my common sense, which would mean that I would shut out love forever? _

_I'm scared, and I don't know were to go or what to do. What should I do? Where does the future lie? Petunia thinks that her way is the only way, finding a nice, rich man and settling down to raise children. But I don't want to do that._

_I want to have adventures, to feel excited, to live. I know David, and he would want me to sit at home all day making supper and taking care of any children that we would have. I can't live like that though. James would let me be an auror, let me live my dream, but that would put both of us in danger. Dear God, what am I supposed to do?_

Lily lay down her quill, closed her diary and went to sleep. She would deal with the future tomorrow, when she had had some rest.

* * *

Sirius and James sat talking in two armchairs by the fireplace.

"Sirius, what makes girls so damn complicated? Why can't they fit into a little box, with no suprises and nothing new about them? Someone who doesn't change, who you can understand."

"James, that's what makes life interesting. If you're talking about Lily, however, think of a plan yourself. I cannot help you there."

James sat thinking for several hours, before drifting off to sleep, a plan already forming in his mind.

* * *

Lily woke up early the next morning; she was going to Mrs. Figg's house and wanted to avoid any awkward question about the why she had been so sullen and quiet the night before. And the fact that Petunia had spotted the three boys, and really wanted to meet them made things even more awkward.

She got there and rang the doorbell, and a minute later she was being bombarded by cats, several thousands of them. Bella pulled them off of her, and they sat down on the couch to talk, while Bella's aunt went into the kitchen to cook a bit of food, most likely cabbage, since that was what her house always smelled like.

"Lily, what's going on, you look terrible?" Bella said concernedly.

"Bella, they're here."

"Who? The FBI, the police, You-Know-Who, who is it?"

"The marauders. James has come back to haunt me."

"Oh shit. What are you going to do?"

"For god's sake, Bella, if I knew, would I be sitting here discussing it right now? And there's not anything I really can do."

"Whatever do you mean?" Bella asked, intentionally digging.

"Well, I was babysitting little David Evans, and he got away, and ran into the house across the street from mine. Sirius, Remus and James are renting it. David ran into James, and so I saw him. James acted like normal, made a few jokes, but he didn't stop staring at my ring, and he looked so hurt. Oh god, Bella, I'm so confused."

"I don't blame you for being confused. I am also very confused. But the first thing you need to do is break up with David. I would write a letter now, so I can make you if you start wimp out, like I know you would."

Lily got out a quill and a piece of parchment, and started on her letter.

_Dear David,_

_I do not believe that we should marry each other. I do not love you, but another. I am sorry, but this is not a feeling that I can hide. I cannot in good conscience marry you and spend my life with you wishing you were another. I'm so sorry._

_Sincerely,_

_Lily Evans_

"Is this good, Bella?"

"I'm sure it's fine. Let's give it to Starswing so she can get it to him as soon as possible. I don't believe that this is something that should be delayed. So, why did your beloved sister invite the marauders over for dinner?"

"I think she fell in love with Sirius."

"What, that's not fair! Wait a second, what's this?"

A tawny owl had entered through the open window and dropped a letter onto Bella's lap. When Lily went into the kitchen to talk to Mrs. Figg about something or other, Bella seized her chance and opened it.

**_Dear Arabella,_**

**_Remus and I were wondering whether you had noticed our two friends who are having a bit of difficulty in the relationships department. If you agree with us, then please send us a reply, and meet us at the Leaky Cauldron two days from now at _****_8:23 PM._**

**_Best Regards,_**

**_Sirius and Remus_**

Bella scribbled a quick reply and sent the owl packing right as Lily came back into the room.

"Bella, what was that?"

"A magazine subscription that I finally decided to fill out."

"You're lying." She looked over at her friend pointedly, but Bella refused to say anything, "And you obviously not going to tell me anything. It really doesn't matter. I've almost decided what I'm going to do."

"And?"

"I'm just going to have to wait and see. Some things work out, others don't. Besides that, I have no idea what I'm going to do. I've got to get back to the house. Bye."

* * *

James sat on his bed, staring at a scrapbook of pictures taken during his and Lily's brief relationship. He felt a tear slide down his cheek. He swore to himself that he would get her back, he had to.

* * *

Sirius and Remus sat discussing their somewhat hopeless friends.

"Remus, I say we should lock them in a broom closet."

"Sirius, you did that back in second year. You were in the hospital wing for a week after that one. Besides, where are you going to find a broom closet on privet drive?"

"Oh, yeah, true. We could send them both letters of apology and have them meet up together somewhere."

"Third year."

"We could make them go out to dinner together, or something like that."

"That actually might work. We couldn't send them alone, because they would probably kill each other, but, it you went with Bella…"

"WHAT?"

"Hush, I know how much you like her. Where was I? Oh yeah, we send you and Bella with them, and you two try to patch things up as best as you can."

"How do you know if she likes me?"

"She'll probably go with you if you tell her it's for getting Lily and James together. She does want her friend to be happy. She actually might like you, I wouldn't know."

"Fine, you win, I'll ask Bella out on a date so we can double date with James and Lily. If you have gotten my hopes up and she doesn't like me, can I kill you?"

"Fine, if she doesn't like you then you can kill me. Now, on to the other plans for the two lovebirds…"

* * *

David Smith sat fuming. Lily had refused his engagement. She had gotten his hopes up, and then had dashed them to bits. He made a split-second decision, and apparated to a lonely tree on the top of a mountain. He spoke plainly.

"Lord Voldemort, I accept your offer to become one of your followers. It was foolish to have thought to decide any other way. "

A voice spoke out, a voice like a hissing of a snake. "Very well. You have chosen wisely. My followers are well rewarded. What do you want after we have triumphed?"

"Lily Evans."

* * *

Oooh, plot device. I feel evil. But that's okay.

I know this chapter was weird. I'm sorry. It's one of those transition chapters, and is a bit of everything.

Kindly review. You see, I'm having a few doubts about this story, and I want to know what you think. I haven't gotten as much response on this one as I have the others, and if I get much more discouraged then I might discontinue it. So please review. If makes me feel worthwhile, makes me believe that my writings actually okay, and not complete crap. Complements, constructive criticism, flames, I take them all. But just a warning, if you flame I will flame back. Consider yourself warned.

Plus, I need inspiration, and reviews give me that.

To answer my reviewers from my last chapter,

**sweetsoutherngal- Or you could just be like me, who refuses to post the next chapter until all reviews are in.**

**makoto-47- that reminds me of the little animated video thing, "Good to be in D.C." Thanks.**

**EmeraldEyedEvans- I love you too. And I did review. What happened to train?**

**PinkyTheSnowman- Well, there is a bit of that. Along with many other things,**

**InLuvWitRupert- You seem a bit confused. This is not the sequel to "Oh Notes and Bets," first off. Anna isn't in this story. **

Now go out into the world. Have fun. Read other stories. But review first, for I will give all who do computer-animated duct tape.

Later,

Sally


	5. Chapter Five

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Hogwarts, or anything that has ever been mentioned in the Harry Potter books does not belong to me. I would like to own them, and make billions of dollars every year, but the only thing in this story that is mine is my plot, if you can call it one. I am simply one of those very sad people who obsess over something that isn't real. So please, don't sue me, all I have that is of any value is a cello and a computer. Thank you for your time.

* * *

Chapter Five 

"YOU DID WHAT?!!"

Arabella sighed inwardly. She had just told Lily that she and Sirius were going on a date, and since they were both a bit nervous, they wanted Lily and someone that Sirius knew to come along, kind of like chaperones. Needless to say, Lily was not taking it very well.

"Come on, Lily, it's only one night. And you know that I've been wanting to go out with Sirius since fourth year. _Please_?"

"Fine, as long as it is not James Potter." Lily conceded, staring at her friend threateningly.

"Don't worry, it's not." Arabella assured her friend, crossing her fingers behind her back.

* * *

"No way. No frickin' way" 

Sirius was having the same problems with James that Arabella was having across the street with Lily.

"Why not, Jamsie-Wamsie?

"Because I don't want to watch you make out furiously with Arabella Figg when I have to watch you and think about how much I'd like to be doing that with Lily. So, please, ask Remus to go instead."

"Remus has already got a date. He's taking a girl named Allison something-or-other to the movies, or something like that. So, will you please go with me? You know that I've wanted to go out with Arabella since third year."

"Fine, fine, I'll go with you. But don't expect me to enjoy myself."

* * *

The two girls were almost ready to go when the doorbell rang. Pulling on her shoes, Lily yelled to Bella that she'd get it, and she hustled downstairs. 

"Wait a second, I'm coming. Would you please stop..." Then Lily stopped speaking. Because there, standing in her doorway, was James Potter.

"Please stop what, Lily-flower? After all, I can't stop until you tell me what it is you want me to stop."

"Am I allowed to tell you to stop invading my life?"

"Well, technically, I'm not invading your life. I am only here to pick up your delightful friend Bella and whoever it is that she talked into going on a blind date. Unless, of course…'

"Potter, would you please excuse me for a minute." With that she shut the door, and yelled up the stairs. "Arabella Katherine Figg, I am going to kill you!"

* * *

Besides the obvious tension, dinner went off without a problem. They were in a private parlor, so that maybe they could go through with this meal without others hearing every word of their conversation. Lily spoke to Sirius and Arabella, but not James. James tried to speak to Lily, but gave up after a few minutes and also just spoke to Sirius and Arabella. 

Sirius, deciding that enough was enough, elbowed Arabella slightly and told Lily and James, "We need to go get something from the car. Can we trust you not to kill each other while we're gone?"

After both replied yes, the two plotters left. James, plucking up his courage, asked Lily, "Do you think that they invented that excuse to go make out, or to get us alone."

"Probably both. I don't know why they are so obsessed with getting us back together, though. I mean, we did break up a year ago, after all."

"Once again, why did you break up with me?"

"I told you a when we broke up. I guess we both just lost interest."

"The truth, Lily."

"The truth?" She looked almost frightened. "I-I don't know."

"Lily, I think that you not knowing why you broke up with me is a likely as Hagrid going a year without buying some sort of dangerous creature. Please, Lily, tell me."

"Fine, you really want to know? I was scared. Of you, of Voldemort, of everything. It broke my heart, having to hurt you like that, but it had to be done. Voldemort is after both of us, me for being an auror and a muggleborn, and you for being the heir of Gryffindor.

"We're already in enough danger by ourselves, and together we would be to threatening to be allowed to live any longer. And I don't want you to die because of me. I love you, James."

"You love me?"

"Yes, you idiot, I love you. Why do you think that I didn't accept David's proposal straight off? He's nice, rich, cute. He would be a husband that any girl would be proud of. He would have offered stability and security. Except that he wasn't you. I couldn't live like that, being so close to you, yet so far at the same time."

"We could make it work, Lily."

"James, for god's sake, listen to me. Maybe if we lived in another time, another place, maybe we could have made it work out. Yes, I love you, but that chapter in my life is over. I sometimes wish that I had done certain things differently, but we can't go back in time and change things. I'm sorry, James, but let's face it, we can never be together like we were again."

"Damn it, Lily, I know that I'm never going to get over you. And as much as you want to, you're never going to get over me. I'll see to it." And with those words he stood up, walked over to her side of the table, pulled her up from her chair, and kissed her.

A rainbow of colors burst into flame behind Lily's eyes as she kissed him back. It was as if, as long as they were kissing each other, as long as they were together, everything would be alright. Suddenly Lily remembered a house were the entire family had been killed by Lord Voldemort, and the dark mark hovering over there heads.

She pulled away from James and started yelling at him, "James, why can't you just leave me alone?! Everything was just fine before you came along. You keep messing with my head, and whenever you're around me I can't tell up from down. So why can't you just go away and forget that you ever knew me, and let me forget you too. I'm sorry that it had to end like this, but please, for god's sake, just leave me alone!"

She disapparated, and James stood staring, once again, at the last place he had seen the woman he loved. _Why is it, _he thought, _that every time I see her, I feel worse than if I hadn't seen her at all?

* * *

_

A small rat scurried from the corner that he had been watching the two lovers from, thinking about how pleased his master was going to be with him for this new information.

* * *

"James? James? Are you okay?" Remus asked concernedly. A week had passed since that fateful encounter in the restaurant, and James was still refusing to speak to either of his best friends. Remus and Sirius had tried to think of something, _anything,_ that would make him feel better, but, other than Lily Evans confessing her undying love to him, they came up with nada. 

They still had no idea what had happened between the two of them that night. All they knew was that Lily had left for some reason, and then James had left also. That was all they had been able to get out of him before he shut himself in a mental box, refusing to speak to anyone.

_I was scared…It broke my heart… too threatening… I love you._ Lily's words kept bouncing around James's head. He had been this close, _this close_, to having the perfect life, to having Lily with him forever, and then Voldemort had to come and ruin everything, just like he had back in sixth year when he had murdered James's parents.

_It's not fair! _He thought wildly to himself. _If we had been living any where else, if we had been anyone else, then we would have had a chance. But now, now it's over. Our time is up. Unless… _James grabbed a cloak and strode out the door, paying no attention to Remus's startled glance. He rang the bell of Number 4, privet drive, and waited.

* * *

Lily came to the door, and opened it, then, when she saw who it was, tried to shut it. James grabbed the door and held it open, staring at her. 

"What are you doing?" She hissed at him. "Didn't I make it clear at the restaurant that I never wanted to see you again?"

"I know, Lily. You said your bit, but you never gave me a chance to say mine. So, are you going to make me say it out here in front of the entire street, or am I going to be allowed to come in and talk to you privately?"

She grudgingly stepped aside and allowed him to enter the house. "Follow me." She said shortly.

"What do you want to say?" asked Lily, impatience in her voice. He might be forcing her to listen to him, but that didn't mean she had to be nice about it. "If you have anything important to say, then say it. I have to meet someone in an hour, and I'm already probably going to be late. So if you could please hurry it up." She finished bitterly.

"Lily, do you even understand what's going on?" James asked, calmly, yet if Lily had looked beyond that calm façade, she would have noticed the quiver of fear in his voice. But right now she was too angry to care.

"Yeah I know what's going on. You're refusing to face reality. It's finished, James. It was nice while it lasted, but it's over now. It's time to move on." With that she made a move as though to open the door to her bedroom, where she could escape, but James was too quick for her.

In a swift motion he grabbed her by the shoulders and pinned her to the wall. She struggled against him, but all those years of playing quidditch had made him strong, and she knew it was useless.

"Are you ready to listen yet?" James asked her. She nodded, stiffly, before he continued. "Lily Evans, you said that you were afraid of either of us being hurt or killed, but, in times like this, who isn't? But isn't better to do everything that needs to be done before that time comes.

"But Lily, you are not the only one who has to go through with seeing death and despair every day. It is a way of the world. Good does not always triumph over evil, but if people try hard enough, eventually it will.

"You may now wish that you never had to see me again, you may wish that you had never met me, but please, never forget me. I have to leave tomorrow, and I'm not sure if I'm ever going to come back. Please, if I do die, remember me, and please, think back on how it could have happened." He stopped talking and looked away, then, almost as an afterthought, kissed her.

This was not simply a sweet and innocent kiss, nor was it simply one full of fire and passion. It was filled with promises remembered, with passion rekindling, with things that were left unspoken, but that the two lovers had no intention of forgetting.

Finally, James pulled back, panting, and kissed her softly one last time before walking out of the door into the setting sun, Lily, for the first time in her life, staring after him, a hand raised to her lips.

TBC

* * *

Someone who I know who as read my story accused me of really liking angst, but my response to that is, I don't like angst, I just enjoy making James suffer. 

Anyway, please, take the two or three seconds it will take to review and do so. It helps me write faster, and it gives me inspiration. Also, if you have any ideas about what you want to happen, tell me. I can always use them, if only as a future reference, or for a different story. Thanks!

I've been updating this fic a lot recently, and somewhat ignoring my others. I just have had a lot of inspiration, and know where this one is going. I promise that I'll update the others soon.

To those who did review (and who get computer animated duct tape!)-

**Mika Rieu- Well, you see, Remus is secretly mine. But it's considered bad form to insert yourself into a fic, so we're keeping it very hush-hush.**

**ourlittlesecret7- Ack, no she didn't. That was from the old version, and I forgot that one little bit. Woops.**

**le manchot du destin- There is no such thing as reviewing too much. I swear. And the rat has shown up. I just don't like him very much.**

**Pixy-Misa-Misao-Amano- Thanks**

**Hikaru****- Yeah, but that was my second reviewer bugging me about it, and I got a bit carried away. Sorry.**

**PinkyTheSnowman- I believe I said it in the first chapter, but "Bella" is the niece of JKR's Arabella Figg, who is a squib. Now, I was looking at your profile, and I was very sad. Am I not loved enough to get an award? Like, "Most disgustingly over-used clichés in one chapter?" **

**sweetsoutherngal- I know the feeling.**

**EmeraldEyedEvans- Very good.**

Preview from next chapter-

_Three years had passed since that fateful day. James Potter had never returned, and the majority of the people who knew anything at all about it said he was probably dead. The first year, Lily had bee continually waiting for a sign, for some proof that he was coming back. Then, finally, she decided she should move on. He wasn't coming back, and she would never see him again. _

_A few weeks after she had figured this out, she ran into Amos Diggory, and he asked her out to dinner. They had been dating ever since, and Lily was content with her life, even though thoughts of James still haunted her at night._

_On this particular December day, Lily, who had just been having lunch with Amos, was hurrying back to the office to get there on time, and, since she wasn't paying attention to where she was going, she ran straight into a stranger._

_She quickly stammered, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I just had a date, and I only have 10 minutes to ge…" This was as far as she got before she looked up into the strangers face, and gasped._

_"I thought you said you would never forget me, Lily."_

There, just to be mean, I think I'm going to wait like a month before updating. Just to let you stew. Have fun!

No killing me, Emmy. You can just email me about it all. But the rest of you can stew

Sally


	6. Chapter Six

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Hogwarts, or anything that has ever been mentioned in the Harry Potter books does not belong to me. I would like to own them, and make billions of dollars every year, but the only thing in this story that is mine is my plot, if you can call it one. I am simply one of those very sad people who obsess over something that isn't real. So please, don't sue me, all I have that is of any value is a cello and a computer. Thank you for your time.

* * *

Chapter Six 

Three years had passed since that fateful day. James Potter had never returned, and the majority of the people who knew anything at all about it said he was probably dead. The first year, Lily had bee continually waiting for a sign, for some proof that he was coming back.

Then, finally, she decided she should move on. He wasn't coming back, and she would never see him again. A few weeks after she had figured this out, she ran into Amos Diggory, and he asked her out to dinner. They had been dating ever since, and Lily was content with her life, even though thoughts of James still haunted her at night.

On this particular December day, Lily, who had just been having lunch with Amos, was hurrying back to the office to get there on time, and, since she wasn't paying attention to where she was going, she ran straight into a stranger.She quickly stammered, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I just had a date, and I only have 10 minutes to ge…" This was as far as she got before she looked up into the strangers face, and gasped.

"I thought you said you would never forget me, Lily."

Shock reeled through Lily's body, and she stammered out, "James, what, why, you're supposed to be dead…"

James laughed, and the coldness and the bitterness in his voice scared Lily more than anything else she had ever heard in her life. "Well, if I'm supposed to be dead, Lily, then how is it that I am standing here talking to you on this fine afternoon? But forget that for the moment. Come, walk with me."

"James, I have to get to work…" Lily started, wanting an excuse to get away from him. He was scaring her now, and she knew that there was something wrong.

"I know, but I'm headed to the same place, so I figured that we could walk together. Unless, or course, you would rather think about your precious Amos…"

Not wanting to hear any more of it, she started walking, and she felt James stride along at her side. It wasn't the safe feeling that this used to be, though, there was something cold and heartless in James's eyes, and Lily knew that whatever was the matter would come to light, sooner or later.

* * *

"…Now you, James," droned the head of the auror department, a balding man in his fifties, "have been trailing suspected death eaters for the last three years, and you, Lily," he directed his gaze to the startled redhead, who was staring at James incredulously, "have been working on the Gripling Case for the last six months, and I've decided that it is time to switch both of you around. 

You both have very impressive records, and a new case just came up, one which will require the very best that we have. Children of various Ministry officials have been disappearing, and I'm partnering you to together in the hopes that you can figure out who precisely is doing this, and why." He shoved a large manila folder at them and swept them out of his office.

* * *

"So," Lily began after they were both settled in her office, or rather, now their office, "You could have mentioned something about being an undercover auror, couldn't you?" 

James stiffened visibly before answering. "Actually, no, I couldn't have. The ministry values the anonymousness of their undercover agents too much to allow any of us to tell anyone at all.

"On a different subject, how's life been treating you in these last three years? I heard that you had a new boyfriend, Amos Diggory. You do have a thing for quidditch players, don't you? First me, then that David, now Diggory. Is it your way of making yourself feel important, your way of making yourself noticed?"

Lily stood up, outraged. "What is your problem, Potter?" she spit out with as much venom as a diamondback. "Why do you seem so bent on trying to hurt me? I've noticed ever since I ran into you in Diagon Alley? What did I do?"

James laughed, bitter and cold. "You want to know what you did," he repeated, as though not believing she had asked so stupid a question. "For two years, I had to watch you and Diggory as the famous couple of England.

"The only woman I will ever love, the woman I thought loved me. I was starting to hope that I would get killed on the job, so I wouldn't have to face the thought of you and him ever again. That's what you did, Evans." With that, he disapparated out of the office.

* * *

Later that night, Lily was writing furiously in her journal, trying to understand everything that went on between the two of him that day. 

_Dear Diary,_

_James Potter came back today. However, I don't know how, but he's changed. He's bitter and cold, and acts as though the world is in one great conspiracy against him. He acts like he hates me, and I wonder what exactly happened to him. He's no longer the James I love. _

_I wonder whether the thought that we ever loved each other is only a dream, and we have broken apart, as the dream sifts to a nightmare. I'm lost, and I have no one to turn to. I'm scared, and I must brave the danger alone.

* * *

_

James Potter sat stooped over on an armchair, looking as though he had just battled the world and lost. Sirius and Remus, the only people who had known what he had done, looked woefully at the chair, as though willing James to become his normal self again.

All three knew that it wouldn't be that simple, though. In order to become himself again, James had to have Lily back, one last time.

* * *

A man stood in the shadows opposite Lily's apartment, and silently grinned to himself. Soon, the plan would be complete. Soon, he would have what he was promised. Soon, Lily Evans would be his.

* * *

The next day, Lily stared at her hands, completely baffled. She and James had been scheduled to meet at 10:00 for more work on the Missing Children's Case, as the tabloids had dubbed it. Yet it was 10:30 and he still wasn't here. Being late wasn't like James, even when they had been in school. 

She was worried about him, even though she didn't want to admit it. She loved Amos, or at least she thought she did, but a part of her still longed for the way James's arms would encircle her whenever something was wrong, and he could chase any bad things away. He had always been there for her, even when she didn't want him to be.

_Admit it, Lily; you're still in love with him. _An annoying voice in her head stated.

**_I do not!_** She replied heatedly.

_Yes you do. You always have and you always will. _The voice answered with the tone of someone explaining that one plus one equals two.

**_I have not! I hated him from first year until the middle of seventh year. _**She thought quickly, and none too convincingly.

_That was only because he kept asking you out, and you thought that he was doing it as a joke._

_**Stop it; I do not love James Potter!**_

_Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that._

"I DO NOT LOVE JAMES POTTER!" She shouted, trying to get the voice out of her head.

"I believe we all knew that, Evans, but I would appreciate it if you would not yell it at the top of your longs," came the cold, hard voice of James Potter.

"I'm sorry, Potter, I wasn't aware that you were standing there. If I had, I would have yelled something much more insulting."

James Potter stared at her, hating her, and hating himself for ever leaving her. She had been his world, his light, and now she was no longer his, no longer someone he could depend on, someone who would always be there for him. And there was no way to reverse that. No way to go back in time, no way to break the spell. The game was over.

And he had lost.

"Actually, Evans, I do believe you. And no matter how fun this display of wits is, we have to start working on the case again. The sooner we start, the sooner we finish, and then we never have to see each other again."

"Fine."

They worked for around five hours, only talking or even looking at each other when there was no other option, then, as soon as the clock struck 3:30, Lily picked up her things and apparated out of there as quickly as possible, leaving James to ponder the cruelty of life before he, too, packed up his stuff and left.

* * *

Aw, poor James. Poor Lily. Poor everyone. And it's about to get much worse. (Evil music heard behind evil cackling) 

I wasn't supposed to say that. I was not supposed to say that. Woops. Just pretend that I said that they're going to have a happy, fluffy existence from here on out.

And then get your head checked if you believe I would do that.

Now go review. It makes me update much faster, and I enjoy getting feedback. I'll accept everything, but I find pointless flames, well, pointless. If you don't like something about the plot, you don't need to read the story. If there's something grammatically wrong, or that wouldn't make sense in this time period, that's another story. I love to be informed of those, but you don't need to yell at me or curse. Thank you.

And remember, you have to be nice to me, because today's my birthday.

And since that puts me in a good mood, all reviewers get a first edition copy of 1001 Ways to Murder a Pettigrew.

To answer my beloved reviewers:

**Prongsie-Jamesie-No, I can't tell you what is going to happen. Then you won't bother to read anymore. Tear.**

**ZombieGurl98- Thank you.**

**Telwyn Dubois- It was the start of the next chapter, I just had to give some kind of cliffie.**

**ourlittlesecret7- Because she is too stubborn.**

**le manchot du destin- Oh yes, I feel evil now. And thanks. I love being told that I'm a good author.**

**EmeraldEyedEvans- No, you can't kill me, for I hosted a party with you, and gave you fudge. And am helping you survive swim team. Now shut up.**

**sweetsoutherngal- Aw, but I like being mean.**

**James-RoxMySox- The sad thing is, the email doesn't really work. That's Allie's email. My own is one that few know. And I don't give it out. So I hold the upper hand, now don't I? ;-)**

**rachel132- It's very sad.**

**PinkyTheSnowman- That award was a sarchastic award. Don't really want that one. But if I must have it, then it should probably go to "Of Notes and Bets." But a different award rather than that one would be nice. (I am a shameless begger.)**

**GoSnOgGaTrEeV- Can French fries have emotions?**

**Stella Blu- Hate to nitpick, but I must. It's actually Inigo. (I've read the book and seen the movie way too many times. And I didn't make you wait a month, just a week, so :-P**

Ciao,

Sally


	7. Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Hogwarts, or anything that has ever been mentioned in the Harry Potter books does not belong to me. I would like to own them, and make billions of dollars every year, but the only thing in this story that is mine is my plot, if you can call it one. I am simply one of those very sad people who obsess over something that isn't real. So please, don't sue me, all I have that is of any value is a cello and a computer. Thank you for your time.

* * *

Chapter Seven 

"I swear I do not understand them!" Sirius exclaimed to Remus that night, while watching James mope around as he ate his dinner. The young auror was obviously upset over something, and it was obvious to anyone who knew him that it had to be Lily Evans. They had known him for the last ten years, and she was the only one who had ever made him feel so let down or heartbroken.

"What happened this time, Prongs?" Sirius asked none too delicately.

"She hates me." The somber young man replied. "All I've ever done is love her, and she hates me."

"Prongs, you have to let her live on her own for a while, without you. She has to realize how much you mean to her, and, if your last year at Hogwarts was any indication, you mean a whole lot."

"Dammit, Padfoot, I've been letting her live her own life for the past three years!"

"Just wait and see, Prongs.Iknow Lily. She'll come around.Just wait and see."

* * *

Lily sat on a bench in the park near her apartment, thinking. James Potter was so different than he had been. She had never thought about what her life would be like if she had to work with James, and yet hate him at the same time, and found it to her disliking.

She had never truly hated him before, and she doubted very much that she did now. He was just so, well, cold. And heartless. And callous. And unfeeling. And cold blooded. He just didn't seem like the James she had always known. It felt like, well, he was trying to do something, and finding it nearly impossible, and couldn't care less about anything else.

Suddenly, Lily found herself stiff as a board, as a set of blue sparks hit her at full speed. They were followed by three people in black cloaks, each carrying an outstretched wand. They grabbed her and quickly muttered a spell under their breaths, when Lily suddenly slipped into darkness,

* * *

When Lily came around, she found herself face to face with someone she had almost forgotten.

"David! What are you doing? Let me go."

The man laughed and replied, "No, my pet. I don't believe I want to do that just yet. You see, my lord wants to ask you a few questions, and then, you're mine."

Lily gasped out loud. "Yours! What are you talking about? Are you mad?"

David laughed again. "Not mad, just hungry. Hungry for the one thing that I've been denied for three years, you." He continued on despite Lily's renewed struggles. "You see, Lily, before you first started dating me, I had been approached by the dark lord to join his servants. I was still wavering when you refused me, and then I went to the dark lord, and, in return for my service, he promised you to me."

Lily stared incredulously at him. "You _are _crazy!"

"You will soon learn never to question me, my pet. And, now, my lord wished to speak to you."

A cold voice, one that sounded of the sliding of snakes over rocks, rang out in the dungeon. "Hello, Miss Evans. I've been very anxious to meet you."

"What do you want?" Lily spat out, sounding like she had more courage than she truly did. She had been fighting against this man for nearly five years, and here she was, face to face with him, and she was completely helpless.

"Want?" the cold voice laughed. "I want you to tell me everything you know that could be of any interest to me. I want you to tell me everything about the aurors, about the Ministry of Magic, even about James Potter." He laughed again as she visually tightened at the mention of his name. "You do know him, correct? In fact, I believe you may be the one thing I need."

"The one thing for what?" Lily spoke acidly. She knew he was toying with her, knew that he would probably torture he beyond all imagination, and yet she knew that she must refuse to give in.

All that she was working for and trying to accomplish depended on her strength, and if something happened to any of it because of her, she would never forgive herself. And if something happened to James…

"James Potter is the only one who could possibly defeat me." Voldemort snarled. "There was a prophesy, one that stated that the heirs of Gryffindor and Slytherin would one day have a great battle, and on that day one of the houses would be destroyed forever. And so, if I have the one person that James Potter cares about most…"

He traced Lily's cheek with his finger, laughing softly as she recoiled in horror. "Well, then, I believe that I have the upper hand in that situation, for I know that he would give himself up without a second's hesitation for you, Miss Evans."

Lily shuddered, scared out of her wits. "W-what do you mean the person he cares about most? We haven't cared about each other in years. In fact, he hates me now. I don't think he would even consider trying to rescue me, or giving himself up to win my freedom."

Voldemort laughed, a long cold laugh that cut through Lily's flesh and froze her like being pushed into a hole cut into a frozen lake. "No? I assure you, Miss Evans, that he does. You see," and here he met her eyes, and Lily recoiled inwardly at the hate and the evil within them, pouring out, contaminating the air, trying to cut off her air and kill her. "You see, I have a source of information that cannot fail me. Someone inside of that group has turned traitor."

Lily stopped breathing for a minute. If she had been anywhere else, she probably would have screamed, but here she could not show weakness. If one of the marauders, who had always been the closest of close, often thought of as one mind in four bodies, could turn traitor, who could say that it wasn't possible for anyone to.

"Who is it? I know all of them, and none of them strike me as the kind to do that. In fact, I bet you don't have a spy at all, and you're just trying to bluff me into giving you information."

Voldemort laughed again. "Believe me, I am not the kind of person who bluffs. If I didn't have a spy, how would I know about how James Potter kissed you at a double date between your best friends three years ago, or his exact feelings, word for word, for you?

"As those four boys never betraying each other, power is an awesome and mighty thing, which will make even the most loyal fall. And the unlikeliness of it is why he is my perfect spy, for no one suspects it of him."

"Someone will find out eventually, you do know that, right? And then where will you be?"

"Miss Evans, I will be invincible by that time, for both you and James Potter will be dead. Stupefy." And Lily felt herself slip off into unconsciousness, fearing for everything, the past, the present and the future, as the darkness oozed over her like water into sand.

* * *

Remus Lupin, as a werewolf, often didn't understand his human friends, and now was one of those times. James had been moping around since he and Lily had been placed on the same assignment, and Remus was entirely sick of it. He had seen Lily a few times around London, and she had looked just as miserable to his highly observant eye.

Being part wolf, he of course didn't understand them. To him, the concept of love revolved around choosing someone, and then staying with them through thick and thin, no matter what happened. They just couldn't seem to do that.

He sighed, glancing over at his best friends again. Sirius was goofing off and imitating someone, Remus suspected Snape, trying to get James to laugh, or at the very least smile. James, however, kept looking down at his plate and grimacing.

Suddenly, an owl fluttered in, and landed right in front of James. He picked the letter up, glanced at it, and then abruptly dropped it and disapparated to god-knows-where. Sirius, looking confused at James's strange behavior, picked up the note and started to read it, then turned white.

Remus asked quickly, "What is it?"

Sirius stared at him as though he had forgotten Remus was still in the room, and choked out, "It's Lily. Voldemort has her."

* * *

I feel evil,

oh so evil,

I feel evil,

Like a weevil,

OH JOY!

Lol. I do feel evil though. Poor Lily.

Well, you know the drill. Review. I write faster, then I update. Rinse and Repeat.

Seriously, though, it really helps to know that people actually read my stories. And that they care enough to respond. You guys that have been there since the beginning, ya'll are the best. I cannot convey how much you mean to me.

Now, on to the responding (starts handing out copies of _1001 Ways to Murder a Pettigrew)_-

**Prongsie-Jamesie- You're welcome. It's one of my favorite imaginary books. And I never lie.**

**PinkyTheSnowman- It works. But, in all honesty, it's James's fault now.**

**Sarahpotter****- Thank you**

**queenelf101- Yes, they are in ****England****. I understand the feeling. And that's not really that long. There are some who write 1000 word reviews. Those can be scary.**

**le manchot du destin- Now that's an idea. HEHEHE. No, it's really James. I think. Maybe. **

**sweetsoutherngal- Thanks.**

**lilred-07- No, they're both too stubborn. Sigh.**

**ourlittlesecret7- Oh, but it is fun. I love to torture you guys.**

So long, Fair well,

Sally


	8. Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Hogwarts, or anything that has ever been mentioned in the Harry Potter books does not belong to me. I would like to own them, and make billions of dollars every year, but the only thing in this story that is mine is my plot, if you can call it one. I am simply one of those very sad people who obsess over something that isn't real. So please, don't sue me, all I have that is of any value is a cello and a computer. Thank you for your time.

* * *

Chapter Eight 

James knew that there wasn't much that could be done, that there wasn't much hope anymore, but he couldn't give up, not like that. In his years as an auror, he had seen people, ordinary everyday people, who had been captured by Voldemort and come out with their throats slashed or something equally pleasant.

In fact, he had never heard of anyone coming out of an encounter with him without being tortured in some way. Even those without physical marks or scars on them looked as though they had been to hell and back, and never wanted to leave home again. But the worst part was their eyes, for in their eyes you could see the haunting, the horror, the pain and the terror. And he didn't want anything like that to happen to his Lily.

When he had read the letter, he had just had to leave the house, leave the world behind, and he had apparated so quickly that he now had no idea where he was. However, that strangely comforted him, since there was no one around who knew who he was, so he could try to sort out his feelings without being interrupted.

"Strange night for a pleasure walk isn't it?" a voice asked, startling James out of his thoughts. A young woman, who looked to be about his age, was leaning on a wall near him, staring at him. And yet, strangely, this stare didn't make him uncomfortable. Actually, unlikely as it may seem, it comforted it, made him think that everything would turn out to be okay.

He answered, "Well, strange times warrant strange tings, don't you think."

She laughed, a melodious sound that filled James's very bones. "Spoken like a true warrior, James Potter. But are you sure you know what you are fighting for?"

James stared at her, flabbergasted. "How do you know who I am?" He finally asked.

She laughed again, but not in a mocking manner. "I know much about you, and about everything. So, what are you going to do about the matter of Lily Evans?"

"I do not know. Many times I have been told that much depends on me, but I cannot just stay here and watch her suffer. I love her too much to do that. And yet, if all fails because I tried to rescue her, and Voldemort wins, then neither of us will forgive ourselves. I just don't know."

She looked at him like she was peering into his soul, and asked, "What does your heart tell you, could you live without her?"

He gulped, and said, "No, I don't think I could."

She laughed as though he had just passed an important test, and she was proud of him. "Then you have your answer. For things have happened that will change the fate of the world. This is the time at which the world rests on mortals shoulders, and there are thousands of paths which could be forged at your decision. But I must warn you, much stands between you. A jealous man has been promised her by the dark lord, and he will not give up easily. Good luck James Potter, and goodbye."

She laughed one last time, and disappeared. James stood staring at the spot where she had stood, then glanced to the sky. "You have finally gone to far, Tom Riddle. You can have power, you can have the world, but I swear on Godric Gryffindor's grave, you can't have Lily."

* * *

Lily awoke slowly, frowning slightly as she stretched, feeling something fastening her wrists together, something that felt an awful lot like chains. Suddenly, a door creaked open, and she started, reaching blindly for her wand. 

When she couldn't feel it, she started panicking, and then suddenly remembered what happened. Actually, that set off her panic even worse. Slowly, she looked up, expecting the worst. And she found it.

David stood staring down at her, grinning like a predator would at the thought of its first meal in months. For minutes they stood there standing like that, David grinning down at Lily, who was recoiling in fear at the sight of him, determined not to show her terror.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" David said cockily, as thought Lily was some rare artifact that he had just uncovered. "It looks like the one person who I have been looking for since I was rejected, more than three years. So, how does it feel to be at the mercy of the dark lord?"

Lily looked up, and smirked, "Frankly, it doesn't feel any different from being at the mercy of a cruel older sister, so…" As she spoke, the death-eater's face grew hard, and he grabbed her wrists and held them high above her head.

"You will not speak ill of the Dark Lord. If you do, he will spare you no mercy."

Lily snapped back, "I don't want his mercy. I want nothing to do with him, besides anything that denies him of what he wants."

David's eyes grew lighter at that. "The time for what you want is over. You belong to the Dark Lord now, and as soon as he finishes with you, you are mine. Your wishes no longer mean anything to anyone.

"You see, the Dark Lord works in various ways to ensure that he is obeyed. And he always has something to reward those who are faithful. As an auror, you should have been killed immediately after capture, but you were promised to me, and that fact guarantees your safety, at least as long as you cooperate with the Dark Lord. Which I'm sure you will, if you do not wish to die."

Lily's eyes widened during David's speech, slowly realizing that this man had lost his sanity. "And what if I do wish to die rather than submit myself to the rule of a demon like your master?" she asked haughtily, with all the strength she could muster.

"Then perhaps we can arrange your wish," the same cold voice from the night before broke in from the doorway. Lord Voldemort stood there, with several death-eaters flanking him. He stepped over the chains that bound Lily to the wall, and stood close enough for her to smell his rank breath.

"Startled you, did I?" He asked with a cold laugh. "Well, any advantage that works I will undoubtedly try to use. To begin the questioning, where is James Potter?"

Lily felt her resolve start to weaken, but refused to let herself give in. "I don't know, and if I did, I wouldn't tell you."

The cold laughter sounded in the dungeons again. "Brave words from one so afraid."

"There is a difference between fear and cowardliness, Riddle. You might want to think of it before you mock others for the fear that you have within yourself."

Voldemort raised his wand, and pointed it at her. "Tell me what I wish to know, or I shall kill you." He said ominously.

Lily laughed scornfully. "If you were to kill me, what would be your bait to capture James Potter?"

It seemed that Voldemort could not take any more of this insolence, and raised his wand even higher, so it was even with her head. "Crucio," he cried out, and then the pain began.

It felt as though a thousand knives were cutting into her at once. It was like being frozen and burned to a crisp at the same time. It was hatred, pure and simple, unmasked, and Lily, strong as she was, could only stand it for a few minutes until she slipped into a web of unconsciousness.

* * *

James apparated resolutely to the Ministry, where he was met by Mad Eye Moody, the notorious head of the Aurors. 

"Potter," Moody growled, "What are you doing here? If you're thinking about going after that Evans girl, forget about it. She's bait, and they would stoop to using her to kill you."

James stood his ground while Moody lectured him. "I can't just let her die out there, even if it costs me my life."

Moody laughed. "Don't be stupid, boy. We need you. Evans is talented as an auror, and is efficient and useful, but right now you are the only one who can stop Voldemort, as you very well know. Don't waste all our lives for one girl, no matter how important she is to you. If you go after her, I will have to suspend you, perhaps indefinitely. Don't waste your life on something that cannot be fixed."

Moody walked away, and James stared after him, stunned. He couldn't believe that anyone would threaten to suspend one of their best aurors for going after a partner.

"Well, we do know that that man doesn't know Prongs at all." A familiar voice cut in behind James. Sirius and Remus were standing there, wands at the ready, like troops preparing for battle.

James cocked an eyebrow, and asked, "So, has it come to this? Are my last lines of defense a healer and a beater? Good lord, this is terrible."

"Don't make jokes at a time like now," Sirius said seriously. "If you're going to rescue Lily-flower, then do it right, because I sure as hell ain't going to risk my life on a mission failed from the start."

James sighed. "First of all, we don't know where she is. Second, when we get there, if we ever do, there could be hundreds or thousands of death eaters waiting for us. Moody's right. We don't stand a chance."

Remus hit James over the head. "James, listen to me. I know that if you don't go, and Lily dies, you will regret it, and hate yourself for the rest of your life. You're my friend, and I don't want you condemned to that. You're going, no matter what arguments you might have about it.

"And by the way, they're keeping her at a warehouse somewhere in western Scotland. Someone brought in a death eater, and the guy, who was clearly insane, kept mumbling about a plan of ultimate destruction. So, James, are you coming with us willingly, or are we going to have to drag you in a sack."

James knew, at that moment, that despite whatever dumb stunts they might have pulled, he was truly blessed to have such friends, and that they would, no matter what happens, be able to save Lily.

"I'm in."

* * *

Now we shall have funness with a mad rescue campaign. Oh joy. 

I feel even _more_ evil, if that is possible. Maybe. I don't know. I think I'm at evilness to the third power platinum edition.

Now, go review. If you've gotten this far, you must have read all the other author's notes about reviewing, so I won't write them here. If you must refresh your memory, go right ahead. There are multiple chapters before this one.

Well, what did you think? I know it got a bit confusing at the beginning, but let's just say I've read Tamora Pierce's books to many times. If you've read either _Lioness Rampant _or_ Trickster's Choice_, you'll find that the whole fate of the world thing is loosely related.

Now, to answer my reviewers,

**le manchot du destin- Somebody liked my poem. I FEEL LOVED!**

**Prongsie-Jamesie- Shhh, it's only imaginary to the uneducated among us who don't know that this is all real. But we're suppose to keep that fact hush-hush, remember?**

**Stella Blu- She thinks its Remus, because who would suspect it of Cute, perfect, sensitive Remus?**

**EmeraldEyedEvans- When we graduate from our last school. GIGO!**

**LostConscience- He should.**

**SweetSouthernGal- Thank you.**

**someone-out-there-in-the-world- Because no one notices Peter. We all hate him. And yes, I enjoy being evil. Doesn't everybody?**

**PinkyTheSnowman- He's not dumb, he's just thick. It's not his fault.**

This is my author's note with narration,

Sally


	9. Chapter Nine

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Hogwarts, or anything that has ever been mentioned in the Harry Potter books does not belong to me. I would like to own them, and make billions of dollars every year, but the only thing in this story that is mine is my plot, if you can call it one. I am simply one of those very sad people who obsess over something that isn't real. Thank you for your time.

* * *

Chapter Nine

Remus quickly filled James in on what they knew. Lily was somewhere outside of Edinburgh. She was unharmed, and simply being kept for information and such. That disturbed James, though. He knew Voldemort. He knew Voldemort's policy on aurors.

"Why is she still alive?" He asked softly. "She's an auror; they wouldn't care if she was dead when I came to rescue her."

Sirius and Remus exchanged glances, and then Sirius looked up at James. "Prongs, she was apparently promised to someone. David. He went mad after she dumped him, or something. Became a Death Eater, and all that jazz."

James stared, shocked. If she was promised, that meant that they had a chance. Even if they failed, she would survive. But the question was, would he rather have her dead, or with another for the rest of her life? He didn't know the answer, and he wasn't sure he wanted to.

"Are you sure you want to help me?" He asked the two. "We could all die, or something like that."

Remus met his eye with a fierce expression. "I have wished to die since I received my bite. I cannot put you, my best friend, through that same agony if I can help it."

"All right," James said, touched by the loyalty and understanding of his friend. "Let's get on with it. We have a Lily to save."

* * *

Lily woke, her head banging. She stared around once again at her cell. Everything was hopeless. Maybe she should just have never woken up. But it was too late now.

She raised her arms, bound at the wrist by a pair of bespelled handcuffs, over her head, stretching, and hit her hand on a metal spike. She cursed as it began to bleed slightly, and then had an idea. She ran her fingers over it, and then ran them back and forth across the wall. There were several of these spikes, and they were perfect for lock picking.

She knew that it was unlikely that it could work, but there was no use in not trying the idea. She gently slid one of the spikes into the keyhole, and listened closely as she jiggled around for a few seconds. Then, she was rewarded as she heard a small click, the sound of at least one tumbler rolling into place.

_Magic the handcuffs, but don't bother making them pick proof. Just pure lazy if you ask me. _She thought, and then began to grin wolfishly as she worked on freeing her arms. This was turning out much more hopeful than it had appeared before.

* * *

The three boys appeared at a lonely abandoned barn, with a farmhouse about half a mile away. Remus looked sure of his place, though James experienced some doubts. How did Remus know so well what was going on, and where they were supposed to go?

Sirius brought out the invisibility cloak, and the three walked, half crouching, toward the house. There was no one standing guard.

When they reached the house, James, still covered by the cloak, looked in, and saw a few young men drinking a few beers. He thought it could just be a frat house or something, but then, as one took a sip, his sleeve fell away to reveal a skull and serpent. This was the place.

"So, how do we go in?" Sirius asked, whispering.

"I think those boys are too drunk to notice much. Break the window and stun them, then run." James suggested. It wasn't perfect, but they didn't have anything else.

Fortunately, the window was a hair open, so Remus slid his wand in, and slowly stunned the three Death-Eaters. "Easy as pie," he said softly. "It shouldn't be this easy."

Neither Sirius nor James had a response. It worried them, too. But they slid open the window some more, and crawled/rolled inside. When they walked out of the room, they reached a long hallway.

"Coin toss for who gets a partner?" Sirius asked, but James wasn't in the mood for companionship at the moment. He pointed a way for the others to go, and went the opposite. He knew what he wanted to say, but he wasn't sure how to. He would cross that bridge when he came to it.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't realize that he walked into a room at the end of the hall, until he heard the door slam. He turned around, and saw David Roboto standing there, a wand pointed at James's chest.

"My lord thought that you would come. Frankly, I am pleased that I was the one who found you. I always hated you, and now I will have the pleasure of killing you."

"Why do you hate me so?" James asked, attempting to reach for his wand.

"Don't bother getting it," David replied, spying his motion. "Reach any more, and I'll kill you now. Not that it would help. I have a spell that repels all but the unforgivables on me right now. And do you have to ask why I hate you?" He laughed bitterly, "You stole Lily Evans from me. You were always the spotlight. Wonderful, perfect James Potter did this, or did that. But I have the upper hand now. I have my Lily again, and you will soon die. Right now, in fact. Avada Ke-" But he was interrupted by a small whispering voice beginning the exact same words.

A rush of green light, and David toppled over, his last smirk still on his face. Behind him stood Lily. She stared at the body, as though she couldn't believe what she had done. Then she looked up at James.

"I was able to pick the lock. I didn't think anyone would be coming. I found my wand in the guard's pocket. I punched him. He wasn't very good. I guess they didn't expect me to escape." She stared down at the body again, and began to cry. "Oh, James, I hated him, but I didn't want to kill him. Oh James…" Then speaking became too much for her. And she just stood and cried.

James did the only thing he could think of. He crossed the room in two great strides, and held her in his arms, combing through her hair with his fingers gently. "I know you didn't Lily. It's alright, it's going to be fine."

Lily looked up at him with her big green eyes, and said, softly, "Thank you. For everything."

He stopped, wondering whether what he was about to say was appropriate, and then decided it didn't matter. "Lily, I love you. I always have I always will. I know this isn't the time, but I'm going to lose the courage. Will you marry me?"

Lily looked at him, shocked, but then replied. "Oh, James, I was so stupid to ever let you go. I'm never making that mistake again. Of course I will."

Then, a cold voice broke out from the darkness, "How joyous for you. But it is such a trajedy that neither of you will live to see that day."

Lord Voldemort stepped out of the shadows, his wand pointed at the pair. A door closed, and around 14 Death-Eaters surrounded the couple. They were really and truly trapped.

* * *

Oh, I feel evil again. That's okay though.

This is the proper point for stewing. A month sounds good to me, how about ya'll?

Now be good little readers and go review. But no anonymous flames. There are much nicer ways to tell me that something is wrong.

Now, to answer my reviewers,

**EmeraldEyedEvans- naturally.**

**SiRiUsRoXmYpOKaDoTsOxS- Did ya notice in the first chapter where I said that the book Arabella is my Aabella's aunt? Just a thought.**

**NymphadoraTonks13- Just say supernatural deity thing and leave it at that. You'll get headaches otherwise.**

**ourlittlesecret7- Yes, he is. And there's nothing wrong with cheerleaders. Well, besides the fact that they're insane. Or at least the ones at my school are. But we're all insane anyway, so that could be it.**

**LostConscience- very well. Since you said please.**

**SweetSouthernGal- Thank you.**

**HP-Scriptor- Thanks. Should be fun.**

**Stella Blu- It's coming. Slowly, but surely.**

**PinkyTheSnowman- Now, Ronald is thick. But we love him anyway. Not as much as Remus, Sirius, or the twins, but we still love him.**

Later, dudes,

Sally


	10. Chapter Ten

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Hogwarts, or anything that has ever been mentioned in the Harry Potter books does not belong to me. I would like to own them, and make billions of dollars every year, but the only thing in this story that is mine is my plot, if you can call it one. I am simply one of those very sad people who obsess over something that isn't real. Thank you for your time.

* * *

Chapter Ten

James looked up. This was the man who had murdered his parents, who had caused so much pain and desperation in his world. He knew that he should apparate away, but he remembered a lesson he had had in Auror Training. When there is the slightest chance of a problem occurring, apparition becomes the worst thing you can do. So James stood and faced Voldemort, ready to bargain.

"Let Lily go," he pleaded. "I'll stay, just let her go."

Voldemort chuckled, a sound that sounded neither amused nor funny. He was younger then James would have expected, around the age his own parents would have been, had they survived. "Why would I want to do that? I have you both right where I want you. You cannot escape, and _she," _he nodded at Lily, "has just killed one of my most loyal followers. That would be a death sentence for her, no matter who else she might be."

James had known that would be the answer, yet he still had to fight for her, somehow. Where were Sirius and Remus? He couldn't think of any way to get out of this without both him and Lily getting killed, and he knew that, if the latter happened, he would beg for them to kill him, too.

Suddenly, a deafening alarm went off. Several of the Death Eaters jumped, and they all looked at their Dark Lord for commands. He barked out, "Go. Someone is in the plans. I can handle these two." Most left, but two stayed.

_If I live, I'm going to be buying Padfoot doggy treats for the rest of his life, _James decided. It was more like Sirius to randomly set off an alarm. He only hoped it would buy them enough time. Three dark wizards gave slightly better odds then fifteen, but they still had the advantage.

Voldemort knew it, too, and didn't look any less confident. "Grab the girl," he told his two remaining followers brusquely, and then, turning back to James, he smiled evilly. "I knew your father, boy. I always hated him. Him and his god be damned equality, and protection to the mudblood filth. I can see that you are like him in that regard." He gave Lily an appraising glance, which caused her to glare back.

"He shared the sentiment, too. I believe we both knew that one of our lines would kill off the other. He always fought for me being expelled. He had a lot of power, your father. It gave me great pleasure to kill him."

James stoic face fought to reveal his emotions. Voldemort knew this, and continued taunting him. "Would you like to know how it happened? It was actually very much like this. I stood before him, and told him of all that he should never have done, while your mother was held off to one side. I fought him, until at last I had him without his wand. He had to watch her be killed, slowly tortured until her heart gave out. A beautiful woman, your mother. I loved her once, but she refused me to be with your father. A mistake she lived to regret."

James still watched, waiting for the true fight to begin. His opponent was only giving him anger that would give him strength in the fight to come. He knew that there would be a fight. Voldemort seemed to enjoy reliving history. However, James would not make the same mistake twice.

"He begged for his life," Voldemort taunted. "One would never expect such behavior from a Gryffindor, but he did."

"You're lying," James replied gruffly. "You're trying to make me lose my temper, and do something foolish."

Voldemort smiled sinisterly. "Potter, you already have." Then he bowed, insultingly, and the duel began.

James had to watch his step consistently. There was no question of who dominated this fight, but he had to try. Suddenly, everything stopped. A voice rang out in his mind. _Kill the red-headed one,_ it said.

It sounded good, and James, already exhausted, wanted nothing better then to obey. Then, he realized that this was the Imperius Curse. That was not him telling himself to kill Lily. Voldemort knew what the greatest torture of all would be, but James refused to give in.

* * *

Several moments passed. Neither of the opponents had landed a hit, but James was growing even more exhausted with every passing second. Voldemort knew this, and whispered, with his next incantation, "I'm going to kill her. Wait a few moments, until I have you at my mercy, and I will. I will torture her until she can be tortured no more, and then I will kill her, slowly. Or just wait until her breath stops coming, and her eyes lose their gaze."

"I will never let you," James gasped out, and, mustering the last of his strength, began another series of curses. It was not easy to dodge so many things, and, since he hadn't had rest in more then 36 hours, he knew he would soon make another foolish mistake.

Suddenly, a loud crack rang out in the room. James looked at the death eaters and Lily in his peripheral vision, and saw that one of them was knocked out cold, Lily coming down from a high kick. She pulled out her own wand, and punched the other until he, too, was unconscious. Then she joined the duel.

"What are you doing, and what the bloody hell was that?" James asked frantically. She could leave right now, and save her own life. Voldemort was too intent on killing him to pay attention.

She grinned in return, and replied, "Saving your neck. And that, dear James, was a leftover move from a dance class I went to when I was younger. My mother always said it would come in handy."

Voldemort may have been in advantage with just James, but against the both of him, the odds slowly began to change. He lost ground, dodging more curses then he was throwing. Finally, knowing when he was beat, he told the couple, "Our fight does not end today. But end it will, in my favor." Then, he shot Lily one more time, and disapparated, touching a place on his arm before he did.

A flash of green light sped to the girl, and she crumpled like a wadded up napkin. James, cursing, leapt to catch her. He felt for a heartbeat, and couldn't find one. Tears began forming in his eyes. He had gone through so much to find her, and to make her his, but by the time he could, she was killed.

* * *

Remus and Sirius rushed into the room at that point. "They all disapparated, Sirius got into some weird room, what happened?" Remus asked breathlessly.

"He wanted to fight me, to relive his fight against my father. It didn't work. Lily beat up her guards," he nodded to the two unconscious figures, "But he hit her as he left. My god, Remus, I think she's dead." Then the tears truly began to start, falling on his only love's lifeless body.

Remus bent down, and, taking a pulse as James had done, shook his head. "I think you're right, James," he agreed mournfully. "I think we lost her." He put an arm around his friends shoulders, and pulled him up. "We need to get those two back to the ministry."

James just shook his head. "I can't leave Lily. You two do it." He still clutched her body, unwilling to admit that she was gone. Remus and Sirius tied up the two Death Eaters, and, looking mournfully at the body, left, dragging the bodies behind them, Sirius saying something about how it was never too late to attempt to join undercover auror work.

James picked up Lily and carried her through the open door. He was remembering every thing that had ever happened with them. Their first ride on the bus, where James had accidentally turned her hair green. Their third year, when James had asked her out for the first time. Their seventh year, when James had awoken from a bludger to the head to find Lily beside him, saying that, if the offer still stood, she would go out with him. Three years ago, when Sirius had rented the house across the street from hers, and he had been forced to leave her. A week ago, when he had been fighting his feelings for her. If only he had told her how he felt then, it could have made all the difference.

"You know, this might look really romantic, but it isn't the most comfortable position," a voice said sarcastically. James looked down, and, to his shock and wonderment, he saw that Lily had opened her eyes, and was giving him a mock glare. In his surprise, he nearly dropped her, and she had to hang on desperately to keep from hitting the ground.

"But, you were dead," James stammered out, checking over every inch of her to make sure there was nothing else.

"I heard a voice," Lily replied softly. "It told me that it wasn't my time, and that I had to go back." She stopped, and then made a sudden realization. "James, he said that one of the Marauders had turned traitor. I didn't think it was true, but I don't know anymore. So many things…" She trailed off. James comforted her, but he was remembering how Remus had appeared to know too much. And the seeds of doubt were planted.

James sat Lily on the floor, and quickly took all of her vital statistics. She seemed perfectly healthy, apart from the fact that she had been dead. "Can you walk?" he asked quietly.

She gave him an exasperated look, and said, "Is that all you can say? That I was dead, and if I can walk? That is a sad conversation with the girl you just agreed to marry." Then, giggling softly, she pulled his head down to hers, and kissed him.

* * *

I'M SORRY! I had no idea what I was going to do. I didn't know how to get Lily and James out of that mess, and it took me a while to think of our beloved Sirius and Remus starting a ruckus.

No, that is not the end. There will be one more chapter coming. This story was my first real baby, though, and I love it.

However, I still love reviews. And I know this chapter wasn't as great. I suck at fight scenes. I'm much better at the cheesy romance stuff.

And please, no anonymous flames, it's a waste of your time, having to write them, it's a waste of my time, having to read them, and it's a waste of 's space, having to store them. Plus, if you do, I'll make do an endurance week. It's a swimming thing, and it hurts like hell.

Now, to answer my reviewers from the last chapter (oh so long ago)-

**azn flame92- Failed on the last one, sorry.**

**Prongsie-Jamesie- Now they got their kiss. And have you read Murphy's recently? You might be happy…**

**James-RoxMySox- Naw, I'll just sentence you to an endurance week.**

**The Sweet New Zealander- There, I answered your question. And I'm sorry. I couldn't think of anything else. I've read too many romance novels. Although Lily did save James **

**from**** David.**

**DramaQn621- very stupid. Thank you.**

**LostConscience- Sorry, I don't like cherries. Well, I do, but they don't give inspiration very well.**

**EmeraldEyedEvans- You want angst? Think of endurance week. _That_, my friend, is angst.**

**Mika Rieu- Evil me! And Remus has even more suspicions against him here. Poor Remus. I STILL LOVE YOU!**

**ourlittlesecret7- He'd been waiting for 4 years. **

**PinkyTheSnowman- He so did. And Voldemort just killed Lily, that was all.**

**Harrys 1 Fan- If you're not talking to me, then I shouldn't talk to you.**

**xXAlana BlackXx- He was just hiding his feelings. I'm not _that _evil.**

**SweetSouthernGal****- What's evil is that I did it.**

**Stella Blu- I randomly had inspiration. It didn't last long.**

I love you all!

Sally


	11. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Hogwarts, or anything that has ever been mentioned in the Harry Potter books does not belong to me. I would like to own them, and make billions of dollars every year, but the only thing in this story that is mine is my plot, if you can call it one. I am simply one of those very sad people who obsess over something that isn't real. Don't own _Your Song _either. I wish I did, but it is Elton John's. Thank you for your time.

* * *

Epilogue

"Now, I have always known that James and Lily here would get married. I've known it since right after James's first conversation with her. As soon as she was out of earshot, he told me that she was a holy terror, and that he hoped he never had to deal with her again. Can you start a potential marriage better then that? In fact, Peter and I placed a bet on it right there. I'm still waiting for him to pay me." Sirius joked, drawing a laugh out of everyone in the room.

Lily groaned, putting her head in her hands. She _knew_ that it had been a bad idea to let Sirius be the best man, but had James listened? No, he had not. And now, during Sirius's toast, they were all going to have to pay for that lapse in judgment.

The six months since Lily had been rescued had been hectic, to say the least. They had had to plan this wedding, convince Moody that he shouldn't murder James for going to rescue her, decide on what was going to happen after the wedding, etc. But Lily didn't mind. She was going to marry James, and that was all that mattered. Of course, she might be murdering Sirius too, if he continued in this fashion. And he did.

"Of course, their story only gets better. James decided that ignoring her was too boring, and so he, Remus, Peter and I all began to prank our favorite red-head. It was a futile effort from the start, but then James here decided that he wanted to go out with her in our fourth year. Now, the first time that he ever asked her out, she said that the idea of ever dating him seemed as appealing as eating a two month old baloney sandwich with rotten tomatoes, spoiled mustard, dipped in a clumping glass of milk, and describing him as having the intelligence of a hyper pink poodle in a hair salon, and the attention span of a goldfish fetus. Lily did always have a way with words.

"Anyway, after three long years in which we had to listen to James moan over Lily, she finally agreed to go out with him, and I had proof that she was insane." He paused here for another audience laugh, and then, grinning in a way that only he could do, he went on. "Now, after about 4 months of them going out, Lily dumped him. And lord, was that a horrible time for the rest of us. We had to deal with him, moaning and wallowing in self pity, and refusing to do anything. SO please, Lily, don't do something like that again, for the sake of our sanities. Well, Remus's sanity, anyway. I sold mine to someone for my devilish charm.

"Now, Lily is a wonderful person. Smart, funny, strong, beautiful, the list goes on and on. In fact, if Prongs here wouldn't kill me, I'd probably marry her myself. But, alas, she doesn't love me. And James would hang, draw, and quarter me. Even so, after watching you guys, I know that there is hope for true love to prosper in the world. So here's to you." He raised his glass, "To Lily and James," The guests repeated him, and Sirius finally sat down, to then be elbowed hard by Lily.

* * *

Finally, the dinner part of the evening was over, and so James led Lily out onto the dance floor for their first dance as a married couple.

_It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside,  
__I'm not one of those who can easily hide.  
__I don't have much money, but boy if I did,  
__I'd buy a big house where we both could live_

"I still don't understand why you had to let Sirius be best man," Lily muttered softly to James, pressed up against him as they slowly swirled around the dance floor. "You knew he was going to have to make a fool of us during his toast, and yet you did it anyway."

"Hey, I thought it was amusing," James protested, voice the same volume as Lily's. "Sirius is great for making toasts." However, seeing Lily's glare, he backed down. "Oh course, next time I'll be sure to listen to you."

"Good," was all that Lily would say, and they continued to rotate in silence.

_If I was a sculptor, but then again, no,  
but a man who makes potions in the traveling show,  
I know it's not much, but this I can do.  
__My gift is my song, and this one's for you._

"James," she suddenly asked. "What would we do if one of us died? After all, the war is going to affect us both so much, the odds aren't good for us both making it out alive."

"Lily, don't worry. Everything will turn out okay," James tried to reassure her, but he couldn't deny to himself that the same thoughts had run through his mind once or twice. He couldn't live without Lily, not after he had tried twice, and failed both times.

"But what if it does happen?" she persisted.

"Lily, I would die before I let anything happen to you. And nothing, not even death, can part true love, now can it?"

"I suppose you're right." Lily admitted. "If you do ever die, though, I wish to die at the same time as you. I couldn't face a world without you. A hundred seasons of loneliness would do me in. I love you, James."

"I would hope so, since you just married me." James joked, and then, seeing the growing annoyed look on Lily's face, he continued seriously, "And we have the rest of our lives to prove that love to each other."

And so, twirling in the dim light, Lily and James Potter made a vow, a vow that neither man nor death could break. And they lived, and loved, for the rest of their days, and beyond.

The End

* * *

Ack, the last part was pure cheese. I'm sorry. I'm horrible at ending things.

Now, even though you can't beg me for updates anymore, you can still tell me what you think of this story by reviewing. I'll love you if you do.

Now, to answer last chapter's reviewers-

**Prongsie-Jamesie- Yes, you get a moony of your very own. And you're welcome. **

**halfblood princess and Summer- Thank you.**

**Mika Rieu-I might do some pretty mean things to Lily and James (just look at Murphy's Law), but I'm scared to actually kill Lily, cause you guys would murder me, and I like living.**

**DramaQn621- Thanks. I did too.**

**Harrys**** 1 Fan- I feel very special.**

**EmeraldEyedEvans- Along with three hour choreographing rehearsals.**

**SweetSouthernGal- I can't deny that.**

**PinkyTheSnowman- yeah, I have to say that you have.**

**Stella Blu- Well, James can't suddenly out of the blue stop trusting Moony.**

Toodles for the last time, at least on this story,

Sally


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